tuuur.com - Worldwide Trips

Basix

18 to 35s

Overland

Wildlife

Essential East Africa

10 days • 4.8

Excellent

66 reviews

10 days

Start

Nairobi, Kenya

Finish

Arusha, Tanzania

Trip Code

YGYE

Min Age

Trip Size

1 - 22

Physical Rating

Meals

9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 8 dinners

Transport

Overland vehicle

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night), Camping (with facilities) (6 nights), Camping (with basic facilities) (2 nights)

From £1,641(10 days)

Trip Informations

Why you’ll love this trip

Safari, safari, safari – what East African adventure would be complete without one? On this trip, you’ll embark on multiple safaris within three different areas.

Go in search of hippos, lions, leopards, zebras and more during 4WD game drives in the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and the Masai Mara National Park with your experienced local leader.

Spend the night in a Maasai village to learn about life from community elders, visit a widows’ community and maybe even learn to throw a spear.

Cross the Serengeti in a purpose-built truck for one of those classic East African experiences – think vast plains spotted with thorn trees and herds of animals.

Stop in places like Mto wa Mbu and Musoma for the best opportunities to chat with locals, swap stories and get to know their culture.

Is this trip right for you?

In Loita Hills, you'll be staying in a secure bush camp with basic facilities, cold showers and no wi-fi.

Camping in the Serengeti means, well, camping in the Serengeti. No barriers between you and mother nature means there's no fence between you and the animals. We take safety seriously and your leader will brief you in detail on how to set up camp so as to deter animals from entering the camp.

This is an overland trip. That means you’ll be travelling with a group in a purpose-built vehicle, visiting remote communities, setting up your own tent, occasionally roughing it in the bush with no facilities, and getting the best possible views of the ‘Big Five’. While the trucks don’t have air conditioning, they do have sliding windows which let in the breeze and make it even easier to take spectacular snaps of the local wildlife. The drive days can be long, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination, and half the fun is the camaraderie. For more info on this style of travel, see our Africa overland page at https://www.tuuur.com/au/africa/overland . https://www.tuuur.com/au/africa/overland (https://www.tuuur.com/au/africa/overland)

Itinerary

DAY 1
Day 1 • Nairobi
Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight in Nairobi. If you arrive early, why not check out the National Museum of Kenya, the Karen Blixen Museum or the highly recommended Bomas of Kenya where traditional homesteads of some Kenyan tribes are displayed at an outdoor village. After your meeting tonight, maybe head out for an optional welcome dinner with your new fellow travellers.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
There are no meals included on this day.
Special information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
Petty theft is common in Nairobi. As a general rule, the safest place for your valuables is on your person in a neck wallet or money belt. There may be a safe in your hotel room or located at reception, though there is no guarantee. If you do decide to go exploring before the tour officially gets started, make sure you get local advice on where it is and isn't safe to walk – particularly at night. Be careful not to leave bags unattended on chairs or the floor when you're in a bar or restaurant. Appearing confident and vigilant is often the best deterrence to would-be thieves. Remember to make scans of important travel documents and email them to yourself.
DAY 2
Day 2 • Loita Hills Maasai Experience
Depart Nairobi this morning, stopping in Narok along the way for some food shopping. Today's drive crosses the Great Rift Valley – Africa's huge divide – to the remote region of Loita Hills. This is the home of the Maasai people and when you arrive, you’ll grab some lunch then visit the Maasai, known for their dazzling red dress and elaborate jewellery. Gain an insight into the culture and ancient ways of this proud East African community. A local elder will deliver a fascinating talk about the Maasai and what they're about. You'll also be shown around a traditional Maasai home and see where the resident cattle are kept.
Accommodation
Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Included activities
Loita Hills - Maasai Village Visit
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours.
Upgrades and wi-fi are not available at tonight's bush camp.
DAY 3
Day 3 • Masai Mara National Reserve
Travel from Loita Hilla to Masai Mara today. The Masai Mara is one of the classic African experiences – wide open plains, perfect blue skies and some of the world's great wild animals. After setting up camp, sit down to some lunch. Then, it's time to jump aboard your 4WD vehicle and go for a game drive through the wilderness of the Mara.
Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Included activities
Masai Mara National Reserve - Full Day 4WD Safari
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.
Your campground tonight is located outside of the national reserve and has flush toilets and showers. There is an option to upgrade, depending on availability. Wi-fi is not available.
DAY 4
Day 4 • Masai Mara National Reserve
Adventure into the reserve for a full day's 4WD game drive. You'll explore this diverse environment and most likely see a lots of different wildlife. An optional balloon ride over the Mara at sunrise is well worth considering. If you have pre-booked this activity, you’ll be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing from your pilot. Then, glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, which provides amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you’ll ascend, getting an overview of the enormity of the plains and the early morning movements of the teeming herds. After landing, you'll be treated to a bush breakfast, then return to your campsite to meet up with your group. The rest of the day is free.
Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Included activities
Masai Mara National Reserve - Full Day 4WD Safari
Optional activities
Masai Mara National Reserve - Balloon ride (from price) - USD470
Special information
An optional balloon ride over the Mara at sunrise is offered as a pre-booked service, which guarantees you a place. If you would rather wait and try to get a better price by booking this locally on the ground, you are welcome to—but keep in mind that this is a popular activity, and places are limited.
You'll be picked up before dawn and taken to the launch site for a safety briefing with your pilot. As the sun rises, you'll drift through the sky, sometimes floating at tree level, offering incredible photo opportunities. At other times, you'll soar higher, taking in sweeping views of the vast plains and the early morning movements of the wildlife below. After landing, enjoy a bush breakfast before returning to camp to rejoin your group.
DAY 5
Day 5 • Lake Victoria
Travel towards the Kenya-Tanzania border and to the shores of Lake Victoria. This is not only Africa's biggest lake – it's the largest tropical lake in the world. It shares its shores with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. You'll arrive in the late afternoon, with time to chill out lakeside with a cold drink at sunset. Make the most of the ATM and local market to stock up for your next three days of wilderness adventures. You’ll be camping on the shores of the lake tonight, at one of its least visited campgrounds on the outskirts of a small town called Musoma, far from the tourist track.
Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 8 hours.
Your campsite tonight has wi-fi, and depending on availability, you might be able to upgrade to a room.
DAY 6
Day 6 • Serengeti National Park
Today, you’ll travel from Lake Victoria to the gate of Serengeti National Park on a smooth road. Stop for a picnic lunch at the entrance to the park, then enter the Serengeti and start your overland vehicle game drive on the way to your campsite. These plains – green after rain and brown and burnt in the dry season – are home to thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators, so see how many you can spot! Your campsite is right in the action, within the park itself, so listen out for the sounds of nocturnal animals as you drift off to sleep tonight.
Accommodation
Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Included activities
Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.
Your camp within the Serengeti National Park does not have a fence to separate the camp from the animals. This is quite the experience as animals such as buffalo and hyenas often come close to camp after sundown. Your leader will give a detailed safety briefing on what is required to ensure the safety of the group. There is no wi-fi or upgrades available.
DAY 7
Day 7 • Serengeti National Park
Start the day with an overland vehicle game drive at dawn. You’ll head out while the animals are at their most active, then head back to camp for brunch. After spending the warmer part of the day relaxing as the animals do, depart again in the afternoon for another adventure through the wild. You'll return in time for dinner. There's the option of an early-morning balloon ride here too, so if you didn't take one in the Mara, today's your chance!
Accommodation
Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Included activities
Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
Optional activities
Serengeti National Park - Balloon Ride (from price) - USD800
Special information
The balloon ride is offered as a pre-booked service which will guarantee you a place. If you would rather wait and try to get a better price by booking this locally on the ground, you are welcome to, but keep in mind that this is a popular activity and places are limited.
DAY 8
Day 8 • Karatu
Rise and shine for a final chance to spot Serengeti wildlife as you make your way out of the park this morning. At Nabi gate, hop aboard a jeep and descend into Ngorongoro Crater. This gigantic, perfectly intact volcanic crater is home to some 30,000 animals. Among these are endangered black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. The crater floor is great for game viewing all year round and the photo-opportunities here are next level. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the crater before heading back out on safari all afternoon. After, travel on to Karatu town and arrive at camp for a freshly prepared dinner with your group.
Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Included activities
Ngorongoro Crater - 4WD Safari
Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
DAY 9
Day 9 • Mto Wa Mbu
Take it easy this morning with a relaxed breakfast at camp before setting off for Mto Wa Mbu with your group. You’ll have the rest of the day free to explore. Mto wa Mbu offers a snapshot of small-town East African life. You might consider joining a guided village walk or maybe take a bike ride around the farming areas, spotting milling machines, local homes and farmlands. Or, round up your fellow travellers to check out the craft market.
Accommodation
Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Optional activities
Mto wa Mbu - Village bike ride and lunch - USD32
Mto wa Mbu - Village walk and lunch - USD20
DAY 10
Day 10 • Arusha / Nairobi
Pack up camp after breakfast for the final leg of your journey to Arusha where your adventure comes to an end. A departure transfer can be booked at an additional expense, to either Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK). Alternatively, you can continue to finish in Nairobi around 5 pm. If you need to organise additional accommodation, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.
Meals
Breakfast
Special information
Any flights out of Nairobi should not be booked to depart prior to 9 pm. We highly recommend you book accommodation for tonight and depart tomorrow. Extra accommodation can be booked through your sales agent.
The drop-off point in Nairobi is Hotel Boulevard:
Hotel Boulevard
Harry Thuku Rd
Nairobi
KENYA
Phone: 254 737 111 111

Inclusions

Meals

9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 8 dinners

Transport

Overland vehicle

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night), Camping (with facilities) (6 nights), Camping (with basic facilities) (2 nights)

Dates and availability

Starting

Ending

Remaining

Prices From

Saturday Feb 15, 2025

Monday Feb 24, 2025

Trip size max: 22 - 12 spaces left

£1,727£1,641

Saturday Jun 14, 2025

Monday Jun 23, 2025

Trip size max: 22 - 15 spaces left

£1,727£1,641

Saturday Jun 28, 2025

Monday Jul 07, 2025

Trip size max: 22 - 14 spaces left

£1,793£1,703

Saturday Jul 12, 2025

Monday Jul 21, 2025

Trip size max: 22 - 16 spaces left

£2,019£1,918

Saturday Aug 02, 2025

Monday Aug 11, 2025

Trip size max: 22 - 17 spaces left

£2,002£1,902

Saturday Aug 23, 2025

Monday Sep 01, 2025

Trip size max: 22 - 20 spaces left

£2,002£1,902

Saturday Sep 20, 2025

Monday Sep 29, 2025

Trip size max: 22 - 19 spaces left

£1,964£1,865

Saturday Oct 18, 2025

Monday Oct 27, 2025

Trip size max: 22 - 22 spaces left

£1,925£1,829

Saturday Nov 15, 2025

Monday Nov 24, 2025

Trip size max: 22 - 22 spaces left

£1,925£1,829

Saturday Dec 13, 2025

Monday Dec 22, 2025

Trip size max: 22 - 19 spaces left

£1,964£1,865

Saturday Feb 14, 2026

Monday Feb 23, 2026

Trip size max: 22 - 22 spaces left

£1,777

Saturday Jun 13, 2026

Monday Jun 22, 2026

Trip size max: 22 - 22 spaces left

£1,777

Saturday Jun 27, 2026

Monday Jul 06, 2026

Trip size max: 22 - 22 spaces left

£1,881

Saturday Jul 11, 2026

Monday Jul 20, 2026

Trip size max: 22 - 22 spaces left

£2,101

Saturday Aug 01, 2026

Monday Aug 10, 2026

Trip size max: 22 - 22 spaces left

£2,101

Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

2. This trip starts in Nairobi on Day 1 at 6pm. This allows time after the welcome meeting to explore. You have the choice on Day 10 of finishing your trip in Arusha or Nairobi. If you are continuing on to Nairobi, please do not book any flights until after 9pm this evening.

3. An optional sunrise balloon ride in the Masai Mara National Reserve and Serengeti National Park are possible on this itinerary. Please see Days 4 & 7 for full details of this activity. As the balloon only holds 16 people, places are limited and we recommend that you book in advance. Please inquire when booking your trip to book this optional activity.

Reviews (59)

5 stars

4 stars

2 stars

Edwin

Dec 27, 2024

Clevers

Dec 04, 2024

If I could rewind, then it would be the Serengeti national park. The night was breathtaking as I heard the Roar of the king of the jungle twice to be precise (funny thing pots fell inside the kitchen after each roar), then later grunts of the wildebeest and the laughs of a hyena. I couldn't tell if they were inside our campsite or outside. This is one of my highlights.

Dong

Oct 21, 2024

The trip was exceptional and exceeded my expectation. East Africa trip was a unique and one of my most memorable experience.

Jenny

Oct 21, 2024

This trip is life changing. You learn so much about the culture, people, and wildlife of east Africa. The crew is top notch and you cannot beat the price compared to other agencies. Camping is an added layer of fun, especially when in the Serengeti! Highly recommend!!

Mudhyan

Oct 21, 2024

This trip has far exceeded my highest expectations—from the stunning landscapes to the incredible group dynamic and crew. Africa’s beauty is unmatched, and this experience lets you fully immerse in it. Raymond was exceptional, effortlessly making everyone feel welcomed, safe, and energized. His knowledge and dedication are truly unmatched. Eve’s wonderful cooking, always served with a smile, made every meal special, and Charles was a master behind the wheel, constantly helping in ways that made our trip seamless and enjoyable. This has been a magical, flawless experience, and I couldn’t have asked for a better crew or journey.

Teodora

Oct 21, 2024

This trip surpassed every expectation I had. The animals, the landscapes, the phenomenal crew, the starry nights & camaraderie.... This will forever be cherished as one of my dearest experiences. Thank you Dolly, Evy and Charles. I'll be back :)

Jenelle

Oct 20, 2024

This trip was exceptional. The itinerary had a great mix of wildlife and culture. Raymond, Evy & Charles were a fantastic crew and I could not have asked for a better experience.

Francesca

Sep 22, 2024

Great trip to explore Kenya and Tanzania’s National Parks. Expect many hours of driving on bumpy roads. The Masai Mara experience was unique. A special mention to our Chef David who prepared us lovely traditional dishes.

Sarah

Sep 08, 2024

A really great tour to see a lot of places including both Masai Mara and Serengeti. Definitely recommend!

Lisa

Aug 31, 2024

I had a fantastic time on this trip. The itinerary is amazing, we saw the big 5 and lots more animals! The group on the trip was amazing and I made some really good friends and memories. Can't recommend it more!

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